Albers and Moholy-Nagy:
From the Bauhaus to the New World

When it comes to art and design, the British public have long been known for their resistance to change. Consequently the unfamiliar brutal abstraction of Modernism has endured a great deal of hostility in the UK.

Although Modern art has long been accepted as the norm in the art world, a wider appreciation of Modernist art, design and architecture has been widely resisted and derided. It is this attitude that has
contributed to the fact that this show is the
first Tate exhibition in ten years to be dedicated to Modernist
abstraction.

Thankfully we now live in more enlightened times, where modern product design is seen as luxurious and highly desirable, and artists,

* CH for R1 Space Modulator by László Moholy-Nagy [c 1942].

designers and architects have become household names.

This timely exhibition provides a long overdue opportunity to reflect on the work of two pioneering Modernists: German-born Josef Albers (1888-1976) and Hungarian-born László Moholy-Nagy (1895-1946).

Both of these artists started their careers as painters, but were attracted to the Bauhaus and its aspirations to unite art and technology.

Albers gave up a respectable teaching career to enrol as a student at the Bauhaus, but was later encouraged by Walter Gropius to teach at this influential institution. It was during this period that the lives of Albers and Maholy-Nagy intersected for a brief period.

Although Albers and Moholy-Nagy worked together for barely five years, they shared a creative vision. Both artists were intent on blurring the distinctions between high art and mass production, utilising art and design as forces for positive social change.

These concerns have since become synonymous with both Modernism and the Bauhaus. Albers' and Moholy-Nagy's practical attempts to
realise these concerns resulted in both artists working freely in many
different disciplines and mediums.

* A19 by László Moholy-Nagy
[c 1927]. Oil on canvas.

Spanning four decades, 'From the Bauhaus to the New World' explores the evolution of artworks produced by Albers and Moholy-Nagy, beginning with paintings from the early 1920s, when both artists independently developed a rigorously abstract style.

The exhibition continues to follow their separate paths, including their emigration to the US in the 1930s. When they arrived in America, both Albers and Moholy-Nagy continued to tirelessly pursue their idealistic aspirations, consistently exploring new ways to push the boundaries of artistic practice.

The exhibition features more than 200 works in a variety of media. Artworks on show include paintings, moving sculptures, photography and film, as well as furniture and graphic design.

The exhibition is sponsored by BMW [UK] Ltd and will be held at Tate Modern until the 4th of June 2006.

Open every day from 10.00am - 06.00pm [late night opening until 10.00pm on Friday and Saturday].